Tuesday 27^th March, 2012

In the morning at 8am Sandra wanted to exchange a book at the camping reception, but it was still closed. We thought they maybe have changed to winter time here in Western Australia without us knowing it. We knew from former Australia visits that the time changes can be different in each federal state. I asked at a petrol station and learnt that Western Australia does not change the time. Relieved we drove to Beekeepers Nature Reserve to see the salt lake. The salt shimmers in the light like snow. Left and right of the road is a huge area of salt. Then we drove with a few stops to Yanchep National Park. On the way we saw a grass tree with eight seed sticks. That we have not seen so far. At Yanchep National Park we first booked a guided tour to the flowstone cave. On the way to the cave I observed two Kookaburras in the tree. After watching them for a while we went into the flowstone cave. I was interesting to hear how they develop. We could touch a broken down peace of the rock. It looks like ice, gleams in the light, but feels like stone. After the tour we went to the Koala colony. We saw a few of them sleeping. In the same trees there were many, many black and white cockatoos. They made a huge noise and were flying around all the time. As it was already after 3pm we wanted also to see the kangaroos. Here in the park there should live some Western Grey Kangaroos. As we did not met any on our walk I wanted to go back to the Koalas. This was a good decision then one of them walked down the tree to get to the fodder. We watch it very long and had then do decide what we want to do now as we still did not see any kangaroos. I called the camping of Midland and reserved a place as we wanted to drive there today anyway. Immediately after the kangaroos passed jumping. We were fascinated by these animals which did not let themselves disturb by humans. Then we drove to Midland to pass our last night in the camper. In the camping we did not find immediately our place as we did not see any numbers. A kind man explained that they stand on the side of the road and we realized that his car is standing at our place. We put our camper so that his car fitted beside it. In the evening we started to put our stuff together.

Monday 26^th March, 2012

Punctually at 8:45am we sat at a pelican feeding. Unfortunately only one pelican came. First all children could throw a fish to the animal. Then the ranger asked who else would also like to do it. I wanted and thus held out a fish. It is interesting how fast they can snap. After we drove to the Rainbow Jungle Bird Park. Here we could see many different parrots and cockatoos. There were many beautiful ones. From the bird park we changed to the cliffs of the Kalbarri National Park. First we drove to Red Bluff and got an impression of the cliffs. After we drove to Mushroom Rock, here we hiked down to the sea. The cliffs look here like mushrooms. Further we went to the Island Rock, a rock standing in the sea. Then we continued driving to the Natural Bride which was eroded into the rocks by the sea. With this view we left the National Park and continued southwards. We followed partially the same road as at the beginning our our trip. We left out the minute's silence at the place of the breakdown. In Northhamption we wanted to get some cash, but the ATMs did not want to. The first one did not know about Swiss cards and second one was out of order. So we continued and could withdraw some cash a bit outside of Geraldton. With a few stops to photographically capture the landscape we drove to Eneabba. Our map told that there should be a camping, but that was not true. So we switched on the navi and were looking for the next one. There should be one in Leeman which is 31 km away. As it was already 5:30pm we had to rush as they usually close reception at 6pm. We passed Lake Loque National Park and the Beekeepers Nature Reserve. Here a huge salt lake was sparkling in the evening sun. As we did not have time to stop we will return tomorrow. A bit after 6pm we reached Leeman and found a place to stay. We parked the camper and went to the sea to watch the sunset. In the evening we walked again to the sea and enjoyed an enchanting sky full of stars.

Sunday 25^th March 2012

The alarm clock did not yet get of as early as today. It should ring on 5:45, but I realized it only on 6 o'clock. We hoped to see the sun through the Nature's Window. Unfortunately this did not happen until 8 am, so we went to the Z Bend viewpoint. On our morning drive through the national park we saw an emu and kangaroos. At the Z Bend we enjoyed the view over the gorge of the Murchison River, the biggest river of the region. To move a bit we walked and climbed down to the river. The way is 2.6 km long and very step and demanding. But it was worth it. The only thing disturbing are the flies. Next we drove to the Nature's Window. We realized that the sun is already too high. I looked at the path leading to the ridge. It looked difficult and we decided not to hike here. Then we left the park and returned into it a few kilometer in the north. We stopped at the viewpoint at Hawk's Head, but it was only a not so spectacular view to the river. Thus we drove further to the Ross Graham Lookout. Here we saw the river and the width of the park. We hiked down to the river and enjoyed the different colors of the rocks. To recover from the heat we went back to Kalbarri. On the way we made a short stop at the Meanarra Hill Lookout and joyed the endless vastness of Australia. On one side we could only see the national park, on the other we saw Murchison River flowing into the sea.

The afternoon we slept and recovered from the last days. As the temperature got a bit more bearable we walked along the river shore to Chinamans Rock. From here we could see the river hitting the sea. It happens that waves from both sides met each other. We looked at the sunset, but it was Unfortunately behind the clouds. As it was Sunday, we enjoyed the dinner with wine.

Saturday 24^th March, 2012

In the morning we got up early and thus we also started early. In Meekatharra I had a problem with the key of the camping as I lost it somehow after the last toilet visit. So I had to leave back the key deposit, but fortunately it was not very high. As we started driving the sky was covered by black clouds and it was not very warm. After a short time we stopped and changed to long trousers. Thinking about hot chocolate we drove to Cue and were looking for it in the sleepy village. Thanks to a hint we drove to the road house. Here we could prepare the chocolate by ourselves, but it was only one with water. In the rain we drove to Lake Austin. Here I wanted to take a picture and Sandra parked the car a the side of the road. As the car stood inclined and I opened the window, the water flowed into the car like a waterfall. With wet trousers we drive to Yalgoo to refuel. Unfortunately the machine did not accept my credit card. But we saw a church built by Monsignor John Hawes, the architect of the cathedral of Geraldton. This one we just watched from the outside and continued over the granary of Western Australia. In the interior we saw may harvested grain fields. We arrived at uur destination Kalbarri a bit after 4pm and found soon a camping. This time we got to Kalbarri without breakdown. As there was still some time left, we went to Nature's Window. Here the nature etched a window into a rock. We had to hurry as it was already late afternoon and it starts to get dark already after 6pm. On the way we met two kangaroos which left the road only after we took sufficient pictures. More picture stops followed and we reached the main road as it was already quite dark, but the the many stops were worth it.

Friday 23^th March, 2012

I was awake already at sunrise. I went outside, observed a small rainbow and enjoyed the sunrise. Sandra got awake a little bit later and thus we started early today. We hiked to the Fortescue Falls which is a bit smaller that the one yesterday. But we could climb the rocks at the sides and thus could enjoy from all sides. Then we walked on a venture along a unsigned path. It proved to be right path. We ended up at the Fern Pool, a small pool with a waterfall. We enjoyed a refreshing morning bath and swam a bit. There was a sound I did not recognise. When I saw the bats in the tree I knew the source of it. Back at the start we walked to two lookouts. On the way we often saw grasshoppers flying away. Our destination we reach after a bit more than 30 minutes. From the Cirular Pool Lookout you can see another pool deep in the gorge where already a few people were swimming. We went back on the same way, but it was a bit faster as we had less picture stops. That was our last hike in the National Park and we decided to drive to the south.

The lunch break and refuelling stop was at a road house. Here it was very busy and we a few road trains (trucks with several trailers). During our 600 km long drive we saw a few animals crossing the road. First a dingo, then two big lizards and some cattle. From time to time we met an oversize truck with different load, from big tires to houses. The further we got the more pools where a the side of the road. At one spot we could not help but had to stop to take a picture of them. A bit after 5pm we reached Meekatharra where we found a place on the camping to stay overnight. In the evening it got cool fast and we were glad about a jacket. Now the temperatures got more pleasant and in the morning and in the evening it is already getting cool.